eisenhart



(No ModeL) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1. .E. H. EISENHART.

MATCH BUNGHING MACHINE.

Patented July 4, 1893.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

E. H. EISENHART. MATCH BUNOHING MACHINE.

No. 500,872. Patented July 4, 1893-.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.-

'E. H. EISENHART.

MATCH BUNGHING MACHINE. No; 500,872. Patented July 4, 1893.

mezzfaz' NrTED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

EDl/VARD ILEISENHART, OF NEIV YORK, N. Y.

MATCH-BUNCHING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 500,872, dated July 4,1893. Application filed January 16, 1893. Serial No, 458.535. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that LEDWARD H. EISENHART, a citizen of the United States,residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York,have invented new and useful Improvements in Match-Bunching Machines, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This. invention relates to machines for bunching match sticks betweencoiled webs or tapes for the purpose of dipping or heading the sticks,and the objects of my invention are to improve and simplify machines ofthis class; to provide a novel construction of wheel for taking thematch sticks from the hopper, whereby the sticks are prevented frombeing accidentally displaced after they are taken up by the wheel andprior to being removed therefrom by the rolling up bands or tapes; toprovide novel devices for agitating and straightening the match sticksin the hopper, and to provide novel means for clearing the match sticksfrom the wheel after the bands or tapes have been wound up to form abunch, so that the wheel can continue its rotation without taking upmatch sticks from the hopper.

Toaccomplish all these objects myinvention involves the features ofconstruction and the combination or arrangement of devices hereinafterdescribed and claimed, reference being made to the accompanyingdrawings, in which Figure 1, is a side elevation of sufficient of amatch bunching machine to illustrate my invention. Fig. 2, is a verticalsectional view of the same. Fig. 3, is a detail perspective View of themovable part of the hopper for agitating and straightening the matchsticks. Fig. 4, is a plan View of the toothed wheel for taking the matchsticks from the hopper, portions of the machine being indicated bydotted lines. Fig. 5, is a detail perspective view of the oscillatoryframe for clearing the match sticks from the wheel after the bands ortapes have been wound up to form a bunch, portions of theframe-operating devices being also illustrated. Fig. 6, is a plan Viewof the take-up roll for the bands or tapes. Fig. 7, is a detail view ofan end portion of one of the bands or tapes to show the loop by which itmay be engaged with the wheel or with the take-up roll; and Fig. 8, isabroken detail view showing a modified construction of toothed wheel.

In order to enable those skilled in the art to make and use my inventionI will now de scribe the same in detail, referring to the drawin gswherein- The numeral 1 indicates a main frame of any constructionsuitable for the purpose and having at its upper portion fixed walls 2and 3, which, in connection with. the movable wall 4., block 5 andparallel bars 6, constitute a hopper in which the match sticks areplaced. The wheel 7 for taking the match sticks from the hopper ismounted on a shaft 8, having a spur gear 9, meshing into a pinion 10, ona shaft 12 which is rotated bya driving gear 13, so that thelattertransmits motion to the Wheel 7. The wheel 7 which receives thematch'sticks from the hopper is provided with a central groove 14, Fig.4, at each side of which is an annular rim provided with teeth 15, theside walls 16 and 17, Figs. 1 and 2, of which are arranged at angles tothe radii of the wheels so that the outer portions of the teeth extendover or overhang the match sticks when the latter enter the notches forthe purpose of preventing the accidental displacement of the sticks asthey are carried upward in transit to the point where they are removedfrom the wheel by the bands or tapes 18 and 19. This specificconstruction of toothed wheel is very desirable in a match bunchingmachine, in that the match sticks are pocketed as it were in the wheeland all liability of the sticks being accidentally displaced prior tobeing intentionally removed from the wheel by the bands or tapes isentirely avoided.

To the base of the mainframe is pivoted the lower end of a swinging arm20, provided with two laterally projecting cylindrical studs 21 and 22,provided near their outer ends with lugs 23 and 2%. The lowerband ortape roller 25 is loosely journaled on the stud 21, and the take-uproller 26 is loosely journaled on the stud 22, each of said rollersbeing provided with a longitudinal groove as at 27' and 28, for thepurpose of applying the rollers to the studs 21 and 22 in position sothat the rollers lie between the swinging arm 20 and the lugs 23 and 24.By this means the rollers ICO and 26 cannot become displaced during theoperation of the machine and at the same time these rollers are free torotate on fixed studs, in which respect theydiffer from those matchmachines wherein the axles or shafts of the rollers are rigidlyconnected therewith so that all rotate together. The constructiondescribed with reference to the rollers 25 and 26 applies to the roller29,0f the band or tape 19, said roller 29 being journaled on a fixedcylindrical stud 30 projecting from a standard 31 rising from the mainframe.

The band or tape 18 is carried around and over the wheel 7 and lies inthe groove 14 of said wheel and the two bands or tapes 18 and 19 areengaged with the take-up roller 26, so that the match sticks received bythe teeth 15 of the wheel 7 are carried between the two tapes and areremoved from the wheel and wound into a bunch for the purpose of dippingor headingin a well known manner.

The take-up roller 26 is rotated by frictional contact of thetoothedwheel 7 with the circumference of the roll being formed on the take-uproller and as this roll increases in diameter the arm 20 can swingoutward, said arm being provided with a suitable weight 32 which-tendsto constantly press the roll being formed against the periphery of thetoothed wheel 7.

A rotary clearer wheel 33, of metal, rubber, or other suitable material,is journaled above the toothed wheel 7 for throwing the match sticksback into the hopper and thus preventing the passage of an unduequantity of sticks to the point where the sticks are removed from thewheel by the bands or tapes. This clearer wheel is an element common inmatch bunchther explanation. The shaft of the clearer wheel is providedwith a pulley 34, connected by a belt 35, with a pulley 36, mounted on ashaft 37, Fig. 1, which is provided with a cam or eccentric 38, shown bydotted lines in Fig. 1, and by full lines in Fig. 2, in such manner thatthe clearer wheel is driven by the pulley 36. The shaft 37 is geared tothe driving wheel 13 as in Fig. 1, and consequently this driving wheelnot onlyimparts motion to the toothed wheel 7, but also transmits motionto the shaft 37 and clearer wheel 33.

The cam 38 is embraced by the bifurcated lower ends of arms 39,depending from the parallel side bars 6, Fig. 3, which side bars areprovided at one end with slots 40, loosely engaging a shaft 41 carriedby the main frame so that said parallel side bars can reciprocatelengthwise. The cam 38 imparts a horizontal reciprocating motion andalso a rising and falling motion to the arms 39, and consequently theparallel bars 6, block 5 and vertical wall 4 are correspondingly movedfor the purpose of agitating and straightening the match sticks in thehopper. The main body of match sticks is supported by the block 5 andthey fall on to the parallel side bars 6 from which they are taken up bythe toothed wheel 7.

After the tapes or hands 18 and 19 have been wound to form the requiredbunch, it is desirable to stop the feed of the matches without stoppingthe rotation of the toothed wheel 7, and to accomplish this object in avery simplemanner I provide an oscillatory clearer frame 42, mounted ona shaft 43 and having a forked upper end, the arms 44 of which forkembrace the toothed wheel 7 and have their upper extremities curved asat 45, Fig. 5. The clearer frame is acted upon at its lower end by aweight 46 or any equivalent contrivance which will tend to constantlypress the upper extremities in a direction toward the center of thehopper, but normally the clearer frame is locked in the positionrepresented by Figs. 1 and 2 so that it cannot operate as a clearer toremove the match sticks from the toothed wheel prior to such stickspassing to the point where the bands or tapes take the sticks from thetoothed wheel. The locking mechanism referred to comprises a rod 47pivoted to the swinging arm 20 and provided with a tappet or cam 48,Fig. 5,and a rod 49 pivoted to one of the arms 44 and provided With ashoulder 50 and a lateral projection 51. The projection 51, as hereshown, is arranged at one end of the rod 49 and the shoulder 50 isarranged intermediate the ends of the said rod for the purpose ofengaging a fixed lug 52 secured to a part of the main frame. By thisconstruction the rod 47 is gradually moved outward as the diameter ofthe bunch increases and when the diameter reaches a certain limit, 2. a,when the tapes or bands 18 and 19, are nearly wound, the tappet or cam48 acts on the projection 51 and lifts the shoulder 50 from engagementwith the lug 52 so that the weight 46 or other suitable con-trivanceswings the clearer frame 42 and causes the curved extremities 45 to moveinto such position that all match sticks taken up by the teeth of thewheel 7 are removed from the teeth prior to reaching the clearer wheel33. It will be obvious that the feed of the match sticks is thus cut offwithout stopping the rotation of the toothed wheel.

To apply new tapes or bands in the machine, or, as it may be technicallytermed, to rethread the machine, I provide the ends of each band or tapewith loops, as at 53, Fig. 7, to engage a projection 54 on the take-uproller 26, Fig. 6, or a projection 55 011 the toothed wheel 7. Thenumber of projections 43 and 55 may be such as to meet the conditionsrequired and each projection may be composed of a headed screw, hook ornail inserted into position so that the loop 53 can be readily engagedtherewith. .By this means a loop such as 53 at one end of the band ortape 18 may be engaged with one of the projections 55 on the toothedwheel 7 and the latter will carry the tape around into proper positionso that the attendant can then disengage said loop from the projectionof the toothed wheel and engage it with the projection 54 on the take uproller 26. A loop such as 53 on the band or tape 19 may also be engagedwith the projection 54 011 the take-up roller 26 for the purpose ofproperly winding this band or tape.

In the modified construction of toothed wheel represented by Fig. 8 thenotches are of dove-tailed form but the side walls and 16 are at anglesto the radii of the wheel so that substantially the same result isattained as regards accidental displacement of the match sticks as isattained by the construction'shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The importantfeature of the construction as regards the toothed wheel resides in thefact that the side walls of the teeth are arranged at angles, preferablyobtuse angles to the radii of the wheel, in which respect my inventiondiffers from those match bunching machines wherein the side walls of theteeth of the receiving wheel are parallel with the radii of said wheel.

The position of the circumference of the clearer wheel 33 relatively tothe circumference of the toothed wheel 7 can be varied by any suitablemeans such as an adjusting screw 56 and a series of removable andreplaceable plates 57, Fig. 1, which plates are located beneath theboxing for the shaft of the clearer roller and one or more of whichplates can be removed to lower the wheel or other plates inserted toraise the wheel if the set screw be properly adjusted as will beobvious.

Having thus described my invention, what 5 I claim is 1. In amatch-bunching machine, the combination of a supporting or main frame,ahopper provided with a horizontally sliding and rising and fallingbottomhaving slot and shaft connections with the supporting or main frame,cam-mechanism for horizontally reciprocating and raising and loweringthe hopper bottom, a toothed wheel rotating in the lower portion of thehopper and taking the match sticks therefrom, and means for winding thematch sticks into a bunch, substantially'as described.

2. In a match-bunching machine, the combination with a supporting ormain frame, of a hopper, a hopper bottom comprising side bars havingslot and shaft connections with the supporting or main frame andreciprocating in vertical and horizontal planes, cammechanism forhorizontally and vertically reciprocating the side bars of the hopperbot tom, a toothed wheel revolving in the lower portion of the hopperand taking the match sticks therefrom, meansfor winding the matchsticksinto a bunch, a pivoted clearer frame having a forked end embracing thetoothed Wheel and between which the latter revolves, mechanism forholding the forked end of the clearer frame normally inoperative, meansfor releasing the said holding mechanism, and a device for swinging theclearer frame when the holding mechanism is released, substantially asdescribed.

3. In a match bunching machine, the combination of a hopper having ahorizontally reciprocating and rising and falling bottom portion, atoothed wheel which takes the match sticks from said bottom portion,cam-mechanism for horizontally reciprocating and raising and loweringthe said hopper bottom, supporting guides for the latter, a take-uproller, and means for winding the match sticks into a bunch,substantially as described.

4. In a match bunching machine, the combination of a hopper having ahorizontally reciprocating and rising and falling bottom portion, atoothed wheel which takes the match sticks from said bottom portion, atake-up roller, bands or tapes engaging the take-up roller and one ofwhich passes over the toothed wheel, and means for rotating the toothedwheel and reciprocating and raising and lowering the hopper bottom,substantially as described.

5. In a match bunching machine, the combination of a hopper comprisingsuitable walls and having a reciprocating and rising and falling bottomportion composed of a wall 4, block 5 and parallel bars 6, arms 49connected with the parallel bars, a rotary cam 38 engaging said arms,andmeans for taking the match sticks from the hopper bot tom andbunching them, substantially as described.

6. In a match bunching machine, the combination with a hopper comprisingsuitable walls and a reciprocating and rising and falling bottomportion, of arms 39 secured to said hopper bottom, a rotary cam engagingsaid arms and operating to reciprocate and raise and lower the hopperbottom, atoothed wheel which takes the match sticks from said hopperbottom, and means for rolling the match sticks into a bunch,substantially as described.

7. In a machine for bunching match sticks, the combination with asuitable hopper, a toothed wheel which takes the match sticks from thehopper, a swinging arm carrying a rotary take-up roll, and bands ortapes connected with the take-up roll, of an oscillatory clearer frame,a rod 49 connected with the clearer frame and provided with a lateralprojection 51 and shoulder 50, a rod 47 con-' nected with theswingingarm and provided with a t-appet or cam 48, and a fixed looking lug 52with which the shouldered bar engages for holding the clearer framenormally out of operative position, substantially as described.

8. In a match bunching machine, the combination with non-rotarycylindrical studs 21, 22 and 30 having projecting lugs, of the rollers25, 26 and 29 loosely mounted on said studs and having recesses to passover said lugs, the'tapes or bands 18 and 19, the toothed Wheel 7, andthe hopper, substantially as de- In testimony whereof I have hereuntoset scribed. my hand and affixed my seal in presence of 10 9. Thecombination with the toothed Wheel two subscribing witnesses.

and the take-up roll of a match bunching ma- EDWARD IL EISENHART. [L Jchine, each provided with a projecting pm,

of the bands or tapes each having a loop 53 Witnesses:

at one extremity for engaging the said pro- ALBERT H. NORRIS, jectingpins, substantially as described. GEO. W. REA.

